Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Lukavac Cost of Living Comparison Between Sarajevo and Lukavac

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,176 in Sarajevo versus $887 in Lukavac.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,784 in Sarajevo versus $1,362 in Lukavac.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,393 in Sarajevo versus $1,838 in Lukavac.

Living in Sarajevo is roughly 33% more expensive than in Lukavac, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sarajevo 12% lower, Lukavac 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.14 BAM 12.21

$5.17 BAM 8.84

38.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.96 BAM 61.5

$22.66 BAM 38.75

58.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 BAM 15.05

$4.82 BAM 8.25

82.57%

Cappuccino

$2.07 BAM 3.54

$1.17 BAM 2.00

76.92%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 BAM 3.45

$1.79 BAM 3.06

12.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 BAM 2.38

$0.86 BAM 1.46

61.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 BAM 4.67

$1.73 BAM 2.97

57.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 BAM 4.09

$1.79 BAM 3.05

33.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 BAM 2.41

$1.11 BAM 1.90

27.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 BAM 2.07

$0.92 BAM 1.58

31.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 BAM 3.49

$2.41 BAM 4.12

-15.35%

Eggs

$3.25 BAM 5.56

$2.38 BAM 4.07

36.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.46 BAM 17.90

$10.07 BAM 17.23

3.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.84 BAM 15.12

$7.21 BAM 12.34

22.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 BAM 22.64

$13.36 BAM 22.85

-0.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 BAM 2.65

$1.23 BAM 2.11

26.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 BAM 3.18

$1.61 BAM 2.75

15.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 BAM 3.55

$1.85 BAM 3.17

12.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 BAM 3.94

$1.74 BAM 2.97

32.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 BAM 1.92

$0.78 BAM 1.34

43.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 BAM 2.08

$0.69 BAM 1.18

75.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 BAM 2.18

$0.99 BAM 1.69

28.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 BAM 1.38

$0.96 BAM 1.64

-15.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.77 BAM 6.44

$3.49 BAM 5.96

8.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.00 BAM 13.68

$4.01 BAM 6.86

99.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 BAM 1.80

$1.21 BAM 2.07

-13.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 BAM 2.19

$2.00 BAM 3.42

-36.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 BAM 1.76

$1.81 BAM 3.10

-43.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.73 BAM 54.3

$34.85 BAM 59.6

-8.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 BAM 2.56

$1.78 BAM 3.04

-16.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 BAM 1.32

$1.10 BAM 1.88

-30.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.63 BAM 14.76

$10.79 BAM 18.45

-20.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 BAM 2.55

$1.46 BAM 2.49

2.05%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.6K BAM 45.5K

$24.0K BAM 41.1K

10.64%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.8K BAM 44.2K

$26.3K BAM 45.0K

-1.83%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$202 BAM 346

$124 BAM 211

63.43%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$19.03 BAM 32.55

$19.33 BAM 33.05

-1.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.94 BAM 56.3

$28.26 BAM 48.32

16.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.14 BAM 60.1

$30.00 BAM 51.3

17.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.26 BAM 27.81

$10.98 BAM 18.78

48.09%

Cinema Ticket

$7.20 BAM 12.31

$5.76 BAM 9.85

25.00%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$258 BAM 441

$152 BAM 259

70.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,394 BAM 5,805

$3,314 BAM 5,668

2.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.6 BAM 157

$71.7 BAM 123

27.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.77 BAM 64.6

$34.89 BAM 59.7

8.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 BAM 184

$99.2 BAM 170

8.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 BAM 172

$120 BAM 206

-16.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 BAM 746

$254 BAM 435

71.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 BAM 519

$173 BAM 295

75.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$892 BAM 1,525

$360 BAM 616

147.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 BAM 992

$313 BAM 534

85.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,245 BAM 5,551

$2,531 BAM 4,329

28.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,315 BAM 3,959

$1,794 BAM 3,068

29.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,042 BAM 1,781

$578 BAM 988

80.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.8

4.14

-8.21%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Sarajevo: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lukavac: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $436 in Sarajevo and $254 in Lukavac. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sarajevo pays 80% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $36.00 in Sarajevo vs $23.00 in Lukavac for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $215 per month, with Lukavac cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Sarajevo vs Lukavac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lukavac wins on cost – living expenses run 33% lower than in Sarajevo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lukavac the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 80% higher in Sarajevo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $436 in Sarajevo versus $254 in Lukavac. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,176 per month in Sarajevo versus $887 in Lukavac – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lukavac runs roughly 10% less than in Sarajevo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $887 in Lukavac versus $1,176 in Sarajevo, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lukavac but tight or insufficient in Sarajevo. The gap between the two cities makes Lukavac the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lukavac delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $887 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lukavac hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Sarajevo and Lukavac are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lukavac gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Sarajevo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.